I have become a huge fan of Ruth Hogan over the past couple of years. I absolutely adored The Keeper of Lost Things and really liked The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes. After reading it for review I chose this latest one for my online book club and am very glad I did.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, see disclosures for more detail.
About The Book:
Tilly was a bright, outgoing little girl who loved fizzy drinks, naughty words, and liked playing with ghosts and matches. When her beloved father suddenly disappeared, she and her fragile, difficult mothermoved into Queenie Malone’s magnificent Paradise Hotel in Brighton, with its endearing and loving family of misfits—including the exuberant and compassionate Queenie herself. But then Tilly was dealt another shattering blow when her mother sent her off to boarding school with little explanation and no warning, and she lost her beloved chosen family.
Now an adult, Tilda has grown into an independent woman still damaged by her mother’s unaccountable cruelty. Wary of people, her only true friend is her dog, Eli. When her estranged mother dies, Tilda returns to Brighton and the home she loved best. With the help of the still-dazzling Queenie, she sets about unraveling the mystery of her exile from The Paradise Hotel, only to discover that her mother was not the woman she thought she knew at all…and that it’s never too late to write your own happy ending.
With Ruth Hogan’s trademark quirky, clever, and life-affirming characters, Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel will dazzle readers and mesmerize them until they reach the surprising twist at the end.
My Thoughts:
I gave this book 4/5 stars
Ruth Hogan is becoming a must-read author for me. Her books are reminiscent of Jenny Colgan with a touch of Sarah Addison Allen’s magical realism. I adored Tilly and her perceptions about life, but I also liked how Tilda discovered more about her past through the eyes of her mother.
There are definitely some heartbreaking parts of this novel, but also some surprises because it’s not easy to tell who is real, who is a ghost, or who is somewhere in between. I loved the mother and daughter theme and this book made me think about the choices we make for the sake of love and how those ultimately play out.
I often don’t like books with children because I don’t think they are portrayed accurately for their age, but Hogan hits the nail right on the head with Tilly absolutely perfectly. I anxiously await Hogan’s next book!
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